Pan-Raetic Games
The Pan-Raetic Games, originally the Pan-Arveyran Games, are a series of summer and winter sports gatherings that occur every four years with a two year offset between the summer and winter games. The Games were first held in 1896 in Almeria, the home of the ancient Almerian Games, upon which the Pan-Arveyran Games were modelled. The Games were originally planned to be played between the Provinces of Arveyres but eventually grew to include the major Raetic countries of Eurasia, Duresia, Marquette, and the non-Raetic Aloia due to historical ties with Arveyres. Former nations with Raetic origins or ties were also included, including Saint Helena, Magnolia, South Malaga, Argentina, and Cordoba. The games were strictly open to only Arveyrans in 1896 and 1900, but in 1904 the Games were opened to other Raetic nations and Aloia. The Games were created to promote unity and cooperation among the Provinces and to encourage physical activity among the general public. Many of the original athletes in the Games were amateur farmers, metalworkers, and educators. The Games have grown so much that many Arveyrans, Raets, and Aloians dedicate their entire lives to becoming Pan-Raetic athletes. 'Nations' 'Participating nations' In 2018, the current list of participating nations was: *Arveyres (host) *Eurasia *Duresia *Marquette *Aloia The largest attendance by count of nations was nine nations during the 1936 games in Julium, Eurasia, held from 11 August to 25 August, less than one month before the Bipartite invasion of Reisal, which began the Great War. Participating nations included: *Eurasia (host) *Arveyres *Duresia *Aloia *Marquette *Cordoba *Saint Helena *South Malaga *Argentina 'Host nations' See also: List of Pan-Raetic games Since 1896, eight nations have hosted the Summer Pan-Raetic Games, and five nations have hosted the Winter Pan-Raetic Games. Arveyres leads the count for most games hosted in both seasons with eleven and twelve for the Summer and Winter Games respectively. Eurasia has hosted the Summer Games six times, Aloia four times, Duresia twice, Magnolia twice, and Saint Helena, South Malaga, and Cordoba have each hosted the Summer Games once. Eurasia and Aloia have hosted the Winter Games four times each, Duresia has hosted the Winter Games three times, and Marquette has hosted them once. 'Host cities' The Games were originally played in Almeria, the birthplace of the Pan-Raetic Games, but have been in many cities since then. The host city is selected by the Queen of Arveyres out of a group of cities that have volunteered to host. In five separate game years, no city has volunteered to host, thus the games were not held in 1938, 1940, 1942, 1944, and 1964. Four of these were due to the Great War and one was due to the Arveyran Ethnic Wars. Ingleces has hosted the most Pan-Raetic Games, having hosted in four separate years, all being Winter Games. Calabasas, Almeria, and Julium have hosted the most Summer Games, having hosted in three separate years each. Valenzuela has hosted during three separate years, two Summer Games and one Winter Game, being the only city to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Games. Casablanca is the only city to have hosted the games on multiple occasions while being part of different nations; Casablanca hosted the 1952 Summer Games under the Cordoban flag and again during the 1992 Summer Games under the Arveyran flag.